Dear Mayor Pawlowski,
Forgive me for saying this, but I'm very disappointed in the changes made to my town. After my wife passed away, I moved to the senior high-rise at 8th and Union St. I can see the old Mack Transmission Plant from my window, I worked there for 40 years. I understand now it's a indoor go-cart track, I find that a bitter pill. Actually pills are why I'm writing. I used to walk to the Rite-Aid on Hamilton Street. With that closing, I don't think I can walk out 7th St. to the old Sears. Forgive me Mayor, that's before your time in Allentown. The other Rite-Aid used to be Levines Fabrics, they bought it from Sears. The Army Navy store was across the parking lot. Anyway, back to my problem. Now I can't even catch the bus on Hamilton anymore to go visit my daughter in Catty. What have you done to me? My neighbor, a nice widow, tells me you gave that Mexican Restaurant lots of our money and they don't even pay their bills? Never ate there, what were you thinking? Anyway, sorry to bother you, I know you're a busy man, but I don't know where I will get my medicine from, and I'm upset. Sorry.
PhotoCredit: molovinsky
above reprinted from July of 2008
ADDENDUM AUGUST 20, 2024:When this written in 2008, the downtown of my youth with Hess's, Leh's and Zollinger's was long gone. However, there still remained in the old stores a mercantile district. The new businesses didn't process the class merchandize for which the buildings were built a hundred years before, but it was still a shopping district. All that is now gone. Rite-Aid has returned, now at 7th and Linden. My mythical character, and I'm now his age, can again get his prescription filled within walking distance.
All at a time now when Rite-Aid is closing stores nationwide at a rapid pace. Every local Rite-Aid is in jeopardy. I will assume those whose sales figures are not strong. Don’t know where Allentown’s locations rank.
ReplyDeleteIt is very unclear just what the occupancy percentage is of the business floors of all the glass and steel boxes built by Reilly. Also how many apartments are actually being occupied?
ReplyDeleteWhy are there no grocery stores in all of those vacant first floor storefronts to support the masses of Yuppies supposedly having wine and cheese parties on the rooftop of the Strata buildings ?
In other cities, beehive-type apartment residents have access to various retail businesses within walking distance. However in Allentown, that is not the case.
Perhaps its just all marketing with little or no substance but taxpayer money supporting the Potemkin Village created by the NIZ .
On the Strata website there is a video of blond single mother and her son, he's about 10 years old. The video describes how much they enjoy living at the Strata. It doesn't mention school or friends...It is absurd.
DeleteIf anyone recalls, Rite Aid was hell bent on having their stores when you drove into a town, in the center of the town, and as you left the town... lots of towns for lots and lots of stores... we saw how well that model "brainchild idea" worked out. Fortunately, their stores were profoundly understaffed, but it was still a shock for their sparse staff. Being thrown out of work really stinks.
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